Nightmares
by chocolatequeen
Summary: What keeps Harm awake at night?
1. Default Chapter

Title: Nightmares  
  
Author's note: While watching In Thin Air tonight, something became clear to me; something many authors here have said, but which I never fully believed. Harmon Rabb is deathly afraid… but not of anything we would expect.  
  
The chime of the doorbell pulled the young boy away from his grandmother's side in the kitchen. It was Christmas Eve, and every visit was a possible surprise.  
  
He didn't understand the significance of the two men at the door; couldn't comprehend his mother's sudden pallor as she took in their uniforms and solemn expressions. But before he could ask any questions, his grandmother rushed to join her and the two women linked arms to support each other.  
  
He watched silently from behind the banister as the men delivered their message and left, some secret knowledge keeping him from speaking until they were gone. Then, before he had a chance to say a word, the two most important people in his life turned and told him, "Your father's not coming home, Harm."  
  
When Harm woke up, the ceiling above him wasn't painted gold, like it had been in his childhood bedroom. Instead of hearing the ticking of his old analog alarm clock, he could see the faint reddish glow of the digital numbers glimmering in the dark.   
  
It was just a dream… the same dream he'd had hundreds of times since that Christmas Even almost 35 years ago. The passage of time had slowed its frequency, but it hadn't lessened the impact of the sorrow on his mother and grandmother's faces. Even now, if he closed his eyes, he could picture the tears tracking down their cheeks just like they had all those years ago.  
  
Knowing from experience that sleep would not return tonight, he tossed the covers back with a sigh. But it was only 0315 and he had a full day of work ahead of him… coffee was the first necessity. He dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt while it was brewing, knowing his second priority was to go to the one place where the nightmares faded in favor of good memories.  
  
Forty-five minutes and two cups of coffee later, he was standing on familiar ground—in front of the Wall, staring at his father's name. of all the places in the world, this was where he felt closest to his father; here, in the place that honored his death.  
  
He reached out his hand, tracing the engraved letters with his finger. Closing his eyes, eh allowed himself to simply feel the slight rise and fall in the stone that he knew as well as he did his own name.  
  
Once his eyes were closed, his mouth opened, releasing the fears that had brought the nightmare and driven him to this spot. They came hesitantly at first, but once his heart was unlocked, all the secrets held within rushed out.  
  
"Hi Dad," he said quietly. "It's been a couple of months since I've been here… I'm sorry, my caseload has been heavy.  
  
"I know, you're probably sitting up there thinking, 'My boy didn't come to talk about work at four in the morning…' Well, you're right. I had it again Dad… the nightmare I mean. Although I'm not sure it counts as a nightmare since it really happened…  
  
"Dad… Dad, ah Dad you know why I'm here. Every time Mac and I get close, every time we start to make a little progress, I have that blasted dream and I remember… I remember why I push her away.  
  
"I can still see the look on Mom and Gram's faces when they knew you weren't coming home. I can still hear the tears Mom cried and the prayers she whispered at nights for you to come back.  
  
"I know I was mad when she married Frank, and that I told her she was giving up on you. The truth is though that waiting for something that wasn't going to happen was killing her. She died a little bit everyday you didn't come home.  
  
"And now, every time I think about letting Sarah in, I remember the haunted look Mom still gets when we talk about you. I may not be in danger daily like you were Dad, but I find plenty of trouble. I won't risk hurting Sarah like that… I love her too much," he finally whispered, resting his head on the cool marble.  
  
"Shouldn't that be my choice?" a soft voice behind him questioned.  
  
His heart sank when he heard the familiar voice. Turning around, he met Sarah Mackenzie's stare, noticing the eyebrow she had raised in challenge and praying she hadn't heard what he knew she had. 


	2. 2

The bullpen was quiet when she walked in… too quiet. The television screens that usually were tuned to ZNN were blank, and as she looked around the room, everyone studiously avoided her gaze.  
  
Her growing sense of unease expanded into a knot of fear when Coates approached her and quietly told her the Admiral wanted to see her. As she followed the petty officer into the office, she ran through a mental list of everything he could possibly want to see her about… everything but the one thing she was most afraid of.  
  
But when the door shut behind her and he lifted his head to look at her, she knew. She took in the new worry lines around his eyes and the sorrow lurking there, and she knew he was gone. His mouth moved and she knew he was telling her, but she couldn't hear a word he said over the sudden roaring in her ears.  
  
Somehow, she managed to remain dry-eyed just long enough to get to the solitude of her own office. The tears were already running down her face when she closed the door and sank to the floor. One sentence pushed past her numb lips and she repeated it over and over as she rocked back and forth in grief. "I never told him…"  
  
Sarah Mackenzie knew without looking that it was 0315. She also knew that the closest Harm had come to danger in the last few months was driving on the Beltway, but that knowledge didn't diminish the feeling of loss brought on by the dream.  
  
She'd had the dream hundreds of times since meeting Harm. Each time it was almost identical, only details such as rank and support staff had changed over the years. The situation in the nightmare had never been borne out in real life, but her memory of it was so vivid, the line between fear and reality had blurred.  
  
Fear is almost as powerful a stimulant as caffeine, and Mac knew she wouldn't be getting anymore sleep. Instead of trying, she slipped out of bed and started a pot of coffee, resigned to beginning her day early.  
  
After two cups of coffee, she was restlessly pacing the apartment, needing to do something with her nervous energy. Almost without thinking, she got dressed and went down to her car. Only one place in DC was restful enough to calm her down.  
  
She didn't notice the familiar car when she arrived 20 minutes later, but as she walked toward h is father's spot on the Wall, she saw him standing there. Unsure if she was interrupting a private moment, yet needing the comfort provided by this man and this place, she sidled closer.  
  
She watched as he traced the name with his finger in a familiar gesture, and then realized he was starting to talk. She tried valiantly to not listen in, but when she heard her own name, all efforts flew out the window.  
  
"Dad… Dad, ah Dad you know why I'm here. Every time Mac and I get close, every time we start to make a little progress, I have that blasted dream and I remember… I remember why I push her away."  
  
In the eight years of their partnership, this was the one thing she had desperately wanted to know about him. What was it that caused the rubber band effect of his emotions; sometimes pulling her in and other times distancing himself? Now it seemed like she would finally find out, and the anticipation made her breathless.  
  
"I can still see the look on Mom and Gram's faces when they knew you weren't coming home. I can still hear the tears Mom cried and the prayers she whispered at nights for you to come back."  
  
"So that's what occupies Harmon Rabb's nightmares… that wrenching pain of losing his father so young." Her heart ached for the little boy he had been, witnessing first hand the pain of a shattered life—but she still didn't understand how it related to her.  
  
"I know I was mad when she married Frank, and that I told her she was giving up on you. The truth is though that waiting for something that wasn't going to happen was killing her. She died a little bit everyday you didn't come home."  
  
Images from her own dream flooded her mind, and she felt like she knew what Trish Rabb must have gone through, wanting desperately to go on with the future but unable to say good-bye to the past.  
  
"And now, every time I think about letting Sarah in, I remember the haunted look Mom still gets when we talk about you. I may not be in danger daily like you were Dad, but I find plenty of trouble. I won't risk hurting Sarah like that… I love her too much."  
  
She stared in shock as he leaned against the smooth stone the memorial. That was why he kept pulling away, because he didn't want to hurt her if he died? For a moment, she was torn between the urge to knock him upside the head for letting that ridiculous notion rule their lives, and the desire to kiss him for being so sweet… clueless, but sweet.  
  
In the end, she didn't do either. Instead, she found her voice and said, "Shouldn't that be my choice?"  
  
She watched his shoulders stiffen when he recognized her voice. As he turned to face her, she put on her best, "I'm a Marine—don't argue with me," expression and prepared for the most important conversation of her life. 


	3. 3

Disclaimer in part 2.  
  
Harm stared at her, a million questions flitting across his face. How long had she been standing there? What had she heard? Was there any way he could get out of this alive?  
  
"Couldn't sleep, Marine?" he finally asked, his light tone not quite hiding his anxiety.  
  
"No… and to answer your other questions; long enough, most of it, and only if you take me to breakfast," she said, delighting in the way his eyes bugged out. "Close your mouth Harm, you look like a fish."  
  
"How did you… I didn't…" Suddenly realizing what he was saying, he snapped his mouth shut and looked away.  
  
"Breakfast, Harm," she said firmly, refusing to let him pull away. "Now. I'm hungry."  
  
Harm smiled weakly and made no protest when she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward their cars. "You're always hungry Mac."  
  
"We really need to find you some new material, Sailor," she said, rolling her eyes at the old joke. "You've been doing this routine for years."  
  
"Hey, you know what they say, 'If it ain't broke…" He shrugged expressively, leaving the phrase unfinished.  
  
"The more you say, the more you pay," she threatened.  
  
"Okay, okay, no more jokes!" he promised, holding his hands up in surrender. Then he looked around and noticed they'd passed their cars. "Ah Mac… where are we going? Our cars are back there?" he said, pointing over his shoulder.  
  
"And once again you amaze me with your stellar powers of deduction," she mocked. "There's an all-night diner up nearby that makes great hash browns."  
  
"The Cameo?" he read as they turned the corner.   
  
"Yeah," she said, releasing his hand and opening the door. By silent agreement, they took a table in the back corner of the small restaurant, away from the counter that would soon be bustling with the breakfast crowd.  
  
After the waitress took their order, Mac stared at Harm, plotting her next move. "Getting him here didn't take much, but he's not going to make the rest of it that easy," she thought, taking a sip of coffee. "He won't want to talk, but that's just too bad. Now that I know he loves me…"  
  
Harm had been watching the wheels turn in her head, and when he saw the smile spreading across her face he had to ask. "What?"  
  
"You love me," she said, taking pleasure in the simple words.  
  
Harm winced, staring into his coffee. "Look Mac," he pleaded, "can't we just forget you heard that and move on?"  
  
He waited, expecting a witty comeback or scathing retort. When he heard nothing, he looked back at her and instantly wished he hadn't. her face was white, and the eyes that just moments ago had been dancing joyfully were dark with pain.  
  
She set her cup down and clasped her trembling hands together before speaking. "Harm, if I hadn't heard enough at the Wall to know why you said that, I'd be walking out of here right now. As it is, I'll tell you that is the worst, most hurtful thing you have ever said to me."  
  
He glanced toward the kitchen, wishing their food would magically appear, postponing this conversation. When no distraction presented itself, he cleared his throat and said, "I'm sorry Mac, I never meant…"  
  
"So help me Harmon Rabb," she interrupted, her voice low and furious, if you say you never meant for me to find out, then this will be the last time we ever see each other outside the office. Do you understand me?"  
  
For a moment he just gaped at her, the obvious emotion behind the threat startling him. It wasn't until she moved to rise from her seat that he realized he ought to respond. "I understand, I won't say that," he told her. "At least not out loud," he finished in his head.  
  
Placated, she gazed at him wondering what to do next. "I love you too," she said after some deliberation.  
  
"I've been telling you that for months Mac," the handsome server said as he set her food down in front of her. "Here's your regular—a full acre of pancakes with hash browns on the side. The toast and scrambled eggs must go to this guy," he added, putting the other plate down as well.  
  
"Thanks Jack," Mac said warmly.  
  
"My pleasure Gorgeous." Turning to Harm, he said, "I keep telling her that if the Navy guy she's head over heels for doesn't get his act together…" Jack stopped noticing the dull red creeping up Harm's neck and the blush on Mac's face. "You're the Navy guy," he deduced.  
  
"Commander Harmon Rabb… Harm," he replied, embarrassed.  
  
"Nice to meet you Harm… I think I'll leave you to your breakfast now," Jack said, backing away from the table.  
  
"So Mac," Harm said, breaking the awkward silence," do you come here often?"  
  
"I've been here for breakfast a few times since summer," she said, not looking him in the eye.  
  
"A few?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Mac, you're on first name basis with the server, you've got a 'regular'," he pointed out.  
  
"Maybe once a week," she admitted as she drenched her pancakes in syrup.  
  
"Why? This isn't exactly on the way to the office."  
  
"I've been coming to the Wall." She took a deep breath, knowing it was time to take the plunge. "You're not the only one who has nightmares Harm," she told him quietly.  
  
"Do I give you nightmares Mac?" he whispered.  
  
She paused, searching for the right words, but her hesitation was all the answer he needed. "I've got to go," he mumbled, pushing away from the table so quickly that his chair tipped backwards.  
  
"Harm?" she asked as he rushed away, following him when he didn't stop. "Harmon Rabb, don't you leave me here!" she yelled from the door.  
  
Then, "Commander!" she bellowed in her best, "I out-rank you by two months" voice.  
  
Twenty-two years of habit stopped him in his tracks, allowing her to catch up to him. "Please Sarah, I can't do this," he begged without even facing her.  
  
Mac circled around and back him up against the brick wall. Her expression softened when she saw the agony in his eyes, but she was determined to get this straightened out. "Look Harm, let's be fair about this," she suggested. "I've already heard about your nightmares, let me tell you about mine."  
  
"I already know what they are Sarah," he said, laughing hollowly. "You're at home, at our house, it's just an ordinary day… until the doorbell rings. You answer it, and when you see the two men there you know that your fool husband has gone and gotten himself killed."  
  
Mac swallowed the lump in her throat and said, "Not quite. I get to work, and everyone is staring at me, like they all know the world is about to end and I missed the memo. Jennifer pulls me into the Admiral's office, and he tells me—so kindly—that you're gone. I make it back to my office, and Harm… here's the part that kills me… All I can think about is that I never told you I love you. Harm," she said, choking back a sob, "do you know how many times you've died without knowing?"  
  
"I know now," he said, brushing her hair away from her face.  
  
"And does it change anything?" she asked. When he pulled his hand back and looked down, she knew the answer. "Harm…"  
  
"Mac, look," he cut her off. "That still doesn't change the fact that… well, things happen to me. I don't go looking for the, but I have at least one near-fatal incident a year… and that's in a good year!"  
  
He took a deep breath, willing himself to do what he was about to do. Looking at her again, he said, "You should find someone safe… what about Jack? He seems to like you."  
  
"Jack?" she asked, giggling a little. "Harm, Jack is working here nights while he goes to the police academy; he's not exactly safe."  
  
Harm laughed with her at the irony in his suggestion. "But still," he protested.  
  
"Harm, do you want me to be happy?"  
  
"Of course I do!" he exclaimed, almost hurt that she had to ask.   
  
"So here's the bottom line: Only one thing will make me happy, and only one person can give it to me."  
  
"Do I want to know what that is?"  
  
"You're going go find out whether you do or not. It's you Harm… all I want is you."  
  
She waited for him to respond, hoping he would finally get it. "If he doesn't, then this is it. I can't do this to myself anymore," she said silently, watching his expression for some clue to his inner thoughts.  
  
Deep in his heart, something clicked. It might have been the challenge she'd just presented to really make her happy, or the promise he saw in her eyes that she would make him happy too. "Or maybe I just know this is my last chance," he thought, recognizing the look in her eyes.   
  
"And if one day you do learn that your fool husband has gone and gotten himself killed?" he questioned, taking a step toward her.  
  
"I'll be glad that at least he was my fool husband, and that I hopefully have our children to share my memories with. The possible pain of losing you is nothing compared to the pain of not having you."  
  
"Well, then far be it for me to deny the marine what she wants, he whispered, pulling her close and dipping in for a kiss.  
  
His intent was a short kiss, a brief moment to bind their promises to their hearts. But her quick indrawn breath and the way she leaned into him washed away any reserve he had and he allowed himself to simply feel… no thinking involved. He felt her lips under his, the way her soft hair felt against his hand as he placed it gently at the nape of her neck, the way she grabbed his arms as the kiss intensified. He relished the feeling of her tongue tracing the seam of his mouth, begging entrance. And as he opened his mouth to her, he felt her tongue slip against his in a motion that was at once as sweet as it was provocative.  
  
Gradually, he also felt the burning in his lungs that signaled a need for oxygen. Breaking the kiss, he held her as his ragged breathing mingled with hers. "So I noticed you never argued when I called myself a fool," he said.  
  
"Who am I to argue with the truth?" she teased, taking a step back to regain her equilibrium.  
  
"Funny, very funny."  
  
"Did you also notice I didn't argue when you called yourself…" She blushed, unable to complete the sentence.  
  
"Husband?" he finished for her. "I did, but I think that's a conversation for another day, don't you? We could make our relationship a fifty yard dash, but I'd rather have it be a marathon… slower going, agonizing at times, but long-term."  
  
"Harm, this is real, isn't it?" she questioned. "I'm not going to wake up and find I've been dreaming?"  
  
"No, the time for dreams is over Mac," he promised, taking her hand in his as they walked back toward the Wall.  
  
Disclaimer in part 2.  
  
Harm stared at her, a million questions flitting across his face. How long had she been standing there? What had she heard? Was there any way he could get out of this alive?  
  
"Couldn't sleep, Marine?" he finally asked, his light tone not quite hiding his anxiety.  
  
"No… and to answer your other questions; long enough, most of it, and only if you take me to breakfast," she said, delighting in the way his eyes bugged out. "Close your mouth Harm, you look like a fish."  
  
"How did you… I didn't…" Suddenly realizing what he was saying, he snapped his mouth shut and looked away.  
  
"Breakfast, Harm," she said firmly, refusing to let him pull away. "Now. I'm hungry."  
  
Harm smiled weakly and made no protest when she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward their cars. "You're always hungry Mac."  
  
"We really need to find you some new material, Sailor," she said, rolling her eyes at the old joke. "You've been doing this routine for years."  
  
"Hey, you know what they say, 'If it ain't broke…" He shrugged expressively, leaving the phrase unfinished.  
  
"The more you say, the more you pay," she threatened.  
  
"Okay, okay, no more jokes!" he promised, holding his hands up in surrender. Then he looked around and noticed they'd passed their cars. "Ah Mac… where are we going? Our cars are back there?" he said, pointing over his shoulder.  
  
"And once again you amaze me with your stellar powers of deduction," she mocked. "There's an all-night diner up nearby that makes great hash browns."  
  
"The Cameo?" he read as they turned the corner.   
  
"Yeah," she said, releasing his hand and opening the door. By silent agreement, they took a table in the back corner of the small restaurant, away from the counter that would soon be bustling with the breakfast crowd.  
  
After the waitress took their order, Mac stared at Harm, plotting her next move. I"Getting him here didn't take much, but he's not going to make the rest of it that easy," /Ishe thought, taking a sip of coffee. I"He won't want to talk, but that's just too bad. Now that I know he loves me…"/I  
  
Harm had been watching the wheels turn in her head, and when he saw the smile spreading across her face he had to ask. "What?"  
  
"You love me," she said, taking pleasure in the simple words.  
  
Harm winced, staring into his coffee. "Look Mac," he pleaded, "can't we just forget you heard that and move on?"  
  
He waited, expecting a witty comeback or scathing retort. When he heard nothing, he looked back at her and instantly wished he hadn't. her face was white, and the eyes that just moments ago had been dancing joyfully were dark with pain.  
  
She set her cup down and clasped her trembling hands together before speaking. "Harm, if I hadn't heard enough at the Wall to know why you said that, I'd be walking out of here right now. As it is, I'll tell you that is the worst, most hurtful thing you have ever said to me."  
  
He glanced toward the kitchen, wishing their food would magically appear, postponing this conversation. When no distraction presented itself, he cleared his throat and said, "I'm sorry Mac, I never meant…"  
  
"So help me Harmon Rabb," she interrupted, her voice low and furious, if you say you never meant for me to find out, then this will be the last time we ever see each other outside the office. Do you understand me?"  
  
For a moment he just gaped at her, the obvious emotion behind the threat startling him. It wasn't until she moved to rise from her seat that he realized he ought to respond. "I understand, I won't say that," he told her. I"At least not out loud,"/I he finished in his head.  
  
Placated, she gazed at him wondering what to do next. "I love you too," she said after some deliberation.  
  
"I've been telling you that for months Mac," the handsome server said as he set her food down in front of her. "Here's your regular—a full acre of pancakes with hash browns on the side. The toast and scrambled eggs must go to this guy," he added, putting the other plate down as well.  
  
"Thanks Jack," Mac said warmly.  
  
"My pleasure Gorgeous." Turning to Harm, he said, "I keep telling her that if the Navy guy she's head over heels for doesn't get his act together…" Jack stopped noticing the dull red creeping up Harm's neck and the blush on Mac's face. "You're the Navy guy," he deduced.  
  
"Commander Harmon Rabb… Harm," he replied, embarrassed.  
  
"Nice to meet you Harm… I think I'll leave you to your breakfast now," Jack said, backing away from the table.  
  
"So Mac," Harm said, breaking the awkward silence," do you come here often?"  
  
"I've been here for breakfast a few times since summer," she said, not looking him in the eye.  
  
"A few?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Mac, you're on first name basis with the server, you've got a 'regular'," he pointed out.  
  
"Maybe once a week," she admitted as she drenched her pancakes in syrup.  
  
"Why? This isn't exactly on the way to the office."  
  
"I've been coming to the Wall." She took a deep breath, knowing it was time to take the plunge. "You're not the only one who has nightmares Harm," she told him quietly.  
  
"Do I give you nightmares Mac?" he whispered.  
  
She paused, searching for the right words, but her hesitation was all the answer he needed. "I've got to go," he mumbled, pushing away from the table so quickly that his chair tipped backwards.  
  
"Harm?" she asked as he rushed away, following him when he didn't stop. "Harmon Rabb, don't you leave me here!" she yelled from the door.  
  
Then, "Commander!" she bellowed in her best, "I out-rank you by two months" voice.  
  
Twenty-two years of habit stopped him in his tracks, allowing her to catch up to him. "Please Sarah, I can't do this," he begged without even facing her.  
  
Mac circled around and back him up against the brick wall. Her expression softened when she saw the agony in his eyes, but she was determined to get this straightened out. "Look Harm, let's be fair about this," she suggested. "I've already heard about your nightmares, let me tell you about mine."  
  
"I already know what they are Sarah," he said, laughing hollowly. "You're at home, at our house, it's just an ordinary day… until the doorbell rings. You answer it, and when you see the two men there you know that your fool husband has gone and gotten himself killed."  
  
Mac swallowed the lump in her throat and said, "Not quite. I get to work, and everyone is staring at me, like they all know the world is about to end and I missed the memo. Jennifer pulls me into the Admiral's office, and he tells me—so kindly—that you're gone. I make it back to my office, and Harm… here's the part that kills me… All I can think about is that I never told you I love you. Harm," she said, choking back a sob, "do you know how many times you've died without knowing?"  
  
"I know now," he said, brushing her hair away from her face.  
  
"And does it change anything?" she asked. When he pulled his hand back and looked down, she knew the answer. "Harm…"  
  
"Mac, look," he cut her off. "That still doesn't change the fact that… well, things happen to me. I don't go looking for the, but I have at least one near-fatal incident a year… and that's in a good year!"  
  
He took a deep breath, willing himself to do what he was about to do. Looking at her again, he said, "You should find someone safe… what about Jack? He seems to like you."  
  
"Jack?" she asked, giggling a little. "Harm, Jack is working here nights while he goes to the police academy; he's not exactly safe."  
  
Harm laughed with her at the irony in his suggestion. "But still," he protested.  
  
"Harm, do you want me to be happy?"  
  
"Of course I do!" he exclaimed, almost hurt that she had to ask.   
  
"So here's the bottom line: Only one thing will make me happy, and only one person can give it to me."  
  
"Do I want to know what that is?"  
  
"You're going go find out whether you do or not. It's you Harm… all I want is you."  
  
She waited for him to respond, hoping he would finally get it. I"If he doesn't, then this is it. I can't do this to myself anymore,"/I she said silently, watching his expression for some clue to his inner thoughts.  
  
Deep in his heart, something clicked. It might have been the challenge she'd just presented to really make her happy, or the promise he saw in her eyes that she would make him happy too. I"Or maybe I just know this is my last chance,"/I he thought, recognizing the look in her eyes.   
  
"And if one day you do learn that your fool husband has gone and gotten himself killed?" he questioned, taking a step toward her.  
  
"I'll be glad that at least he was Imy/I fool husband, and that I hopefully have our children to share my memories with. The possible pain of losing you is nothing compared to the pain of not having you."  
  
"Well, then far be it for me to deny the marine what she wants, he whispered, pulling her close and dipping in for a kiss.  
  
His intent was a short kiss, a brief moment to bind their promises to their hearts. But her quick indrawn breath and the way she leaned into him washed away any reserve he had and he allowed himself to simply feel… no thinking involved. He felt her lips under his, the way her soft hair felt against his hand as he placed it gently at the nape of her neck, the way she grabbed his arms as the kiss intensified. He relished the feeling of her tongue tracing the seam of his mouth, begging entrance. And as he opened his mouth to her, he felt her tongue slip against his in a motion that was at once as sweet as it was provocative.  
  
Gradually, he also felt the burning in his lungs that signaled a need for oxygen. Breaking the kiss, he held her as his ragged breathing mingled with hers. "So I noticed you never argued when I called myself a fool," he said.  
  
"Who am I to argue with the truth?" she teased, taking a step back to regain her equilibrium.  
  
"Funny, very funny."  
  
"Did you also notice I didn't argue when you called yourself…" She blushed, unable to complete the sentence.  
  
"Husband?" he finished for her. "I did, but I think that's a conversation for another day, don't you? We could make our relationship a fifty yard dash, but I'd rather have it be a marathon… slower going, agonizing at times, but long-term."  
  
"Harm, this is real, isn't it?" she questioned. "I'm not going to wake up and find I've been dreaming?"  
  
"No, the time for dreams is over Mac," he promised, taking her hand in his as they walked back toward the Wall. 


End file.
